Elevating and stacking apparatus for field-receptacles.



G. D. PARKER. ELEVATING AND STACKING APPARATUS FOR FIELD RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. 191B- Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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W I TNESS:

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G. D. PARKER. ELEVATING AND STACKING APPARATUS FOR FIELD RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. 1918.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. D. PARKER.

ELEVATING AND STACKING APPARATUS FOR FIELD RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. I918.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Bi y w W 1 TN ESS A TTORNE YS.

GEORGE D. PARKER, 01 RIVERSIDIELOALIFORNIA.

ELEVATING- AND STACKING- APPARATUS FOR FIELD-RECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application filed October 22, 1918. Serial No. 259,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. PARKER, a

citizen of the United States, residing, at

termed field'boxes or receptacles, which are of standard and uniform size, and in this condition is transported to the packing houses. In delivering these field receptacles to a packing house it is desirable that the same be formed in stacks or vertical rows, as it is easier to handle the boxes in this manner, and the same require less floor space than if they are unstacked.

The present inventlon relates to an appa ratus adapted for receiving the filled fieldreceptacles and successively stacking and ele vating the same in a vertical row and transferring successively formed vertical rows onto a suitable truck or conveyer or other support. The principal objects of the invention are to provide mechanisms controlled and operated by the filled receptacles for throwing elements into and out of operation, which cause the operation of the device on power being applied thereto.

- With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being under- ---stood that various changes in the form, pro- 1 portion, size and minor detalls ofconstruction Within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the To more fully comprehend the invention,

reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 1s a vlew in side elevation of the stacking frame when moved to deposit the stack of elevated receptacles onto a suitable support.

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan, illustrating the control and operating means. a

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3'3 of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a view in broken detail of one' of the controlling clutches.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one of the controlling clutches.

Fig. 6 is a view in detail of the receptacle actuated clutch selective plate.

Fig. 7 is ayiew in detail of one of the receptacle elevating brackets.

Referring more particularly to the several views of the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, the numerals 1 indicate suitable parallel spaced bases above and between which are supported, preferably by trusses 2, the parallel spaced conveyer side members orrails 3 downwardly inclined toward one end of the bases 1, said side members being connected by the conveying rolls 4 extending veyer and roll by gravity to the lower end thereof, as illustrated in dotted lines-Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Vertically disposed at the lower end of the conveyer is a stacking frame formed of the corner members 5, preferably four-in number, the lower ends of which are spaced above the base members 1 and said corner members are preferably disposed, two directly over each of the base members 1, as in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Suitable links 6 connected at one end. as at 7 to their respective framemembers, and at their opposite ends, as'at 8 to the bases 1, support said frame members in a vertical position. Adjacent their upper ends the links at opposite sidesof the frame are pivotally connected "by connecting" members 9, and to one end of said members 9 are connected the frame moving links 10 attached at their lower end, as at 11, to the operating cranks 12 carried on the opposite ends ofthe shaft 13. The shaft 13 is rotatably mounted 105 extends transversely thereof beneath the-conveyer.

Extending parallel with the'bases 1 and fulcrumed at one end to brackets 14 at one end of the bases are the receptacle elevating rods or members 15 which terminate at their free ends at points between the corresponding corner frame members at opposite sides of the frame. Within their length said elev'atin members are connected through links 16 with the cranks 17 carried at opposite ends of a rotatable shaft 18 mounted in bearings 19 on the bases '1. Pivotally mounted as at 20 on the inner faces of the free ends of the members 15 are the oppositely disposed receptacle engaging and elevating brackets 21 formed with inwardly projecting flanges 22, which when the brackets are 1n their lowermost position lie slightly below and adjacent to the outer edge'of the side rails 3 and over which the receptacles come to a point of rest on arriving at the lower end of the runway. The flanges 22 are hin ed as at 23 to the brackets 21 and are norma ly maintained in a horizontal position by springs 24 secured at one end to the flange 22 and at their opposite end to the arm 25 extending below the bracket 21 and with which contacts the lip 26 carried by the flange 22 when the same is in a horizontal position. This construction ofthe brackets enables the same to pass downwardly over a receptacle should the same arrive at the lower end of the runway when the brackets are in their elevated position, ashereinafter described.

As the receptacles successively arrive at the lower end of the runway, the same are elevated within the frame by the brackets 21 which are operated in the following manner.

. Mounted at the lower end of the runway is a receptacle tripped lever 27 fulcrumed as at 28 and connected within its length through a link 29 with a clutch selecting plate 30, the link 29 being provided with a headed member 31 which operates in a slotted guide 32 extending longitudinally of said plate 30. The plate is pivotally supported beneath one of the rails 3 by a suitable link 33, and extended from the opposite side thereof in line with one end of the slot 32 is an operating link 34 pivotally attached I to one arm of a bell crank 35 pivotally suported as at 36 to a fulcrum'member carried y the bracket 37. The free arm of the bell crank is provided with a beveled plate 38 which is adapted ,onf the movement of the bell crank-for swinging into and out of the path of rotation of a suitable clutch dog 39 carried by a clutch hub 40 keyed to rotate with the shaft 18. The shaft is rotated by power applied through the. drive gear 41 loosely mounted on said shaft, the hub of which is iinteriorly bored, and is provided Wvith'recesses 42 for receiving said dog 39,

which is outwardly pressed by a spring 43, thereby uniting the gear 41 and hub 40.

The bevel of the plate 38 is in the direction of rotation of the shaft 18,v and a receptacle contacting with the trip arm 27 will through links 29 and 34 and plate 30 throw the free end of the bell crank 35 from within the path of movement of the pawl, 39, permitting the same to engage in one of the notches 42. The gear 41 is adapted to be continuously rotated in.the direction of the arrows, Fig. l of the drawings, by the pinion 44 carried by a shaft 45 rotatable in bearings 46 and driven through power applied thereto through a sprocket gear 47"; The receptacles successively moving b gravity down the thereof, and the continued movement of themembers 15 raises thereceptacle upwardly between the corner members 5 and between the pivoted retaining dogs 47 ,one pivotally mounted as at 48 to a bracket carried by each of the corner members 5, and which dogs retain the elevated receptacle in its raised position during the lowering movement of the members 15 and the completion of rotation of shaft 18.

The raising of the positioned receptacle from the lower end of the runway releases the pressure exerted thereby on the trip lever 27, permitting said lever to berestored to its normal position by a spring 49 connected therewith, and thus throwing beveled edge 38. of the bell crank 35 into the path of rotation of the pawl 39 which causes a disengagement of the pawl from its assothe ciated recess on the completion of the revolution of the shaft 8, at which time the brackets 21 are in their lowermost position, as in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and are ready to elevate a succeeding receptacle as positioned thereover.

It will be apparent. that the receptacles successively traveling down the conveyer trip the lever 27 which causes an operation of the elevating means, which, in turn, raises the lever actuating receptacle within the ele' vating-frame, thedriving gear 41 in carrying out this operation making one complete revolution and on assuming a position whereby the brackets 21 are in their lowermo'stposition is brought to a point of rest. The receptacles in their movement by gravity down the runway pass between and opercien't number have been elevated in stack formation, five being illustrated in the drawings, it is desired to bodily move the same, togetherwith-the sixth receptacle about to trip the lever 27, to a truck or other conveying means 61, and to position the same thereon in stack formation, and in carrying out this operation the following mechanism is employed.

Vertically disposed adjacent one of the inner corner members 5 of the frame and carried by a support 52 is a stack operated clutch control rod 53 carrying at its upper end an arm 54 lying within the path of movement of the elevated receptacles within the frame and preferably positioned in line with the upper end of its cotiperating corner member 5. The lower end of the rod 53 connects with one end of a pivoted bell crank 55 supported by saidsupport 52, the

opposite end of said bell crank'being con nected through a link 56 with the link 29 intermediate of its length. On the ion itudinal upward movement of the rod 53 I y contact of the uppermost receptacle within the frame with the arm 54, the link 56 is longitudinally moved to shift one end of the link 29 from a position in line with the link 24 to the opposite end of the slot 32, as in dotted lines Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Pivotally connected with the outer end of the plate 30, adjacent the outer end of the slot 32, is a link 57 which coiiperates at its opposite end with a bell'crank 58 of the sam'e construction as the bell crank 35, and

which bell crank 58 operates a clutch pawl of the exact type and construction as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings the clutch controllingthe connection of a riving gear 60 with its supporting shaft 13,.

sald gear 60 being driven in the direction f ings, by the pinion 44.

of-the arrows, Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw- On the moving of thelink 20 to the dotted line position, Fig. 2 of the drawings, by the uppermost receptacle of thestack contacting with the, arm 54, the next receptacle passing by gravity downthe runway throws plate 30 on'the outer end of the link 33, the pivotal movement thereof being greater at. its outer end than at its inner end and being V 35 suflicient at its outer end to cause the operthe trip arm 27, through the link 24 theiinneriend of which isnow in the outer end of the slot 32, causes a pivotlng of the '60 and shaft 13. The rotation of theshaft 13 through the cranks 12 causes a reciprocation of the links 10, the outward movement of which forces the frame corner members 5 in unison downwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path, said frame members carrying the five elevated receptacles. The gates 50 carried by the inner frame members are moved therewith contacting with the lever operating receptacle at the lower end of the runway forcing the same longitudinally of and from the lower end of the runwayonto a suitable truck or other member 61 positioned adjacent the ends of the bases 1. The completion of the downward movement of the frame over the truck 61 deposits the receptacles held thereinonto the lowermost receptacle moved thereby onto the truck and the resting of the elevated receptacles onto -this lowermost receptacle causes a spreadstack, permitting the stack of receptacles to rest on this lowermost receptacle. The rearward reciprocation of the link 10 moves the frame upwardly and inwardly in an arcuate path from the stack of receptacles resting on the truck, the dogs 47 scraping on the sides of the receptacles without dislodging the same from their elevated position.

Thus it will be apparent that the frame is returned to its normal position, at which time the spring 49 will have moved the bell crank 58 to its normal position to interrupt the clutch dog cooperating with the same, which will arrest the rotation of the shaft 13 on the completion of its rotation until such time as a new stack of receptacles is formed within the elevating frame.

The depressing of the lever 27 when the end of the link 29 is in the outer end of the slot'32 causes a forward swinging of the plate 30, which disposes the slot 32 with its ,outer end nearest the lever 27. In this po- 7 of disposition of slot 32 and tension on link 29.' However, on the completion of the removalof the lowermost receptacle from con.- tact with thelever during the movement of the receptacle stack, the spring 49' restores said plate 30, through the link 29, to normal position, and at this time the weight of the rod 53 and its associated parts, from beneath the upper end of which the topmost elevated receptacle has-been removed, automatically returns the link 29 to normal "position indicated in full lines, Fig. 2, permitting the next succeeding box to trip the posed relation one restlng on another, means lever 27", which will in turn operate the receptacle elevating means.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A receptacle elevating and stacking apparatus comprising a conveyer for the filled receptacles, means disposed above the conveyer for retaining the receptacles in raised position as successively elevated in superimoperated by successive receptacles arriving Within the sphere of said retaining means for elevatingthe same one at a time, and receptacle controlled means for moving said stack of raised receptacles as a unit and for depositing the same on a suitable support removed from said conveyer.

2. A receptacle elevating and stacking apparatus comprising a conveyer for the filled receptacles, means disposed above the conveyer for retaining the receptacles in raised position as successively elevated in superimposed relation one resting on another, means operated by successive receptacles arriving within the sphere of said retaining means for elevating the same one at a time, means thrown into operation by a receptacle arrlving within the sphere of said retaining means for moving said stack of raised receptaclesasa unlt and for depositing the same on a suitable support removed from said conveyer, and means movable with said stack of elevated receptacles for moving the operating receptacle to said support for receiving said stack of receptacles as deposited thereon. 1

. -4. A receptacle elevating and stacking apparatus comprising a conveyer for the filled receptacles, a frame disposed above said conveyer for receiving the receptacles as suc- 'cessively raised therein in superimposed relation one resting on another, means for retaining the receptacles in' raised position within the framefa' support for said frame whereby the same is capable of movement fromoversaid conveyer and maintained in vertical" position durlng such movement,

means for elevating the receptacles within sai'dframe as successively positioned below raaaeae the lower end thereof, means thrown into operation on the elevating of a predetermined number of receptacles within said frame for causing operative movement of said frame on the delivery of another receptacle beneath the same, and means thrown into operation on a receptacle arriving be: neath said frame for moving said frame to deposit the receptacles held therein as a stacked unit onto a suitable support removed from said conveyer and for returning the emptied frame to normal position.

5. A receptacle elevating and stacking apparatus comprising a conveyer for the filled receptacles, a frame disposed above said conveyer for receiving the receptacles as successively raised therein in superimposed relation one resting on another, means for retaining the receptacles in raised position within the frame, a support for said frame whereby the same is capable of movement from over said conveyer and maintained in vertical position during such movement, means for elevating the receptacles Within said frame as successively positioned below the lower end thereof, means thrown into operation on the elevating of a predetermined number of receptacles within said frame for causing operative movement of said frame on the delivery of another receptacle beneath the same, means thrown into operation on a receptacle arriving beneath said frame for moving said frame to deposit the receptaclesheld therein as a stacked unit onto a suitable support removed from said conveyer and for returnin the emptied frame to normal position, an means movable with said frame for engaging and moving the frame operating receptacle to said support for receiving and supporting said stack of receptacles as deposited-thereon.

6. A receptacle elevating'and stacking apparatus comprising a conveyer for the filled receptacles, a stacking frame vertically disposed above said conveyer and within which the receptacles are successively elevated in superimposed relation one resting on an other, means controlled by successive receptaclesarrivin'g beneath said stacking frame for elevating the same one at atime within said frame, meansfor moving said frame with the elevated receptacles therein from, above said runway to deposit said receptacles in stacked formation on a suitable support and for returning said frame to normal position, means operated by a receptacle within said frame for throwing said frame moving. means into operative position, and receptacle operated means for throwing said frame moving means into operation to cause movement of the frame to deposit the receptacles held therein on a suitable support removed from said conveyer.

7 A receptacle elevating and stackil'ig apparatus comprising a vertically disposed frame open at its lower end, a plurality of supporting links connected to said frame and supporting the same, said links providing a fulcrum for said frame, operating means connected with said frame for moving theimposed relation one resting on another, and

means thrown into operation by the elevating of a predetermined number of receptacles within said frame for causing movement of said operating means for moving said frame to deposit the receptacles held thereon as a unit on arsuitable support removed from said elevating means.

8. A receptacle elevating and stacking apparatus comprising a vertically disposed stacking frame open at its lower end, means for supporting said frame and capable of operation for moving the same laterally in an arcuate path and for retaining'the same in a vertical position during such movement, a receptacle runway extending beneath said frame for delivering receptacles below the lower end thereof, means at the lower end of said frame forsuccessively elevating the re ceptacles delivered below the frame upwardly thereinto, operating means for said frame supporting members, operating means for said receptacle elevating means, a drive member, independent clutch mechanisms between the drive member and said frame operating means and said receptacle elevating operating means, a clutch selective plate connected to both of said clutch mechanisms,

a lever connected with said plate through a a movable member and operated by said receptacles as successively positioned beneath the same for operating said clutch mechanisms one at a time, and means operated by the elevation of a predetermined number of receptacles within said frame for positioning the movable member associated with said lever relatively to said plate to select the clutch mechanism to be operated on the next operation of the lever. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. GEORGE D. PARKER.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. PATTEN, S. A. MARKS. 

